TRENTON – While the hot sun shone down on the crowd of more than 100 people gathered in the 90-degree heat at the front steps of City Hall this afternoon to witness Mayor Eric Jackson be sworn into office, Jackson promised brighter days ahead for Trenton.

“As I stand here before you I am committed to ensure that our tomorrow will always be brighter than today,” Jackson said shortly after taking the oath of office.

Jackson was sworn in by Superior Court Judge Thomas Sumners as Jackson's wife, Deniece, held the Bible and his son, Adrian, watched on.

Addressing the crowd of supporters gathered, Jackson promised to lead with determination and tenacity.

“To the families who want to work here and raise their children here, to the seniors who want to feel secure in their home, to the business owners who want to foster economic development in the capital city,” Jackson said. “Today, I commit to you that the best days of our city are ahead of us and yes -- the best is yet to come.”

Jackson did not mention former Mayor Tony Mack in name, only referring to the investigation and ultimate conviction of Mack and his cohorts on corruption charges as “tough times.” However Jackson applauded the city for making it through.

“Its spirit was never defeated and its people’s determination never faltered,” Jackson said.

Despite his optimism, Jackson said he needed the assistance of the community for the changes to be impactful.

“I am asking you here today to take a collective responsibility for our city’s future,”
Jackson said. “Sometimes, yes, the road ahead will not be easy. Sometimes we may stumble, and even we may fall, but if we commit ourselves as one city, one community, as one people to engage in civic action we will never fail.”

After Jackson, City council members also took the oath of office to be sworn into their four-year term.

Council chose Zachary Chester as the new council president. Chester will serve four years in that capacity.

In years past council decided to rotate the presidency, but incorrectly amended the rules to do so. Last year, to correct the error, it had council president, George Muschal, who was originally appointed to the post, take back the position.

Chester said he looks forward to working with his council colleagues and Jackson during the next four years.

“We will do things transparently,” Chester said. “We will do things in the open. We will let Trentonians know what their government is doing. This is my pledge to you.”

Five council members voted in favor of Chester’s appointment as board president. Muschal and Caldwell-Wilson abstained from the vote.

Councilwoman Phyllis Holly-Ward said as she enters her second term in office she takes with her wisdom from her first term.

“I have learned that challenges and opportunities will always follow each other and today is an example of that,” Holly-Ward said.

Duncan Harrison, who was the only council member sworn into his first term, said the campaign was just the beginning and he is ready to get to work.

“What we have done before was just preparation for this day,” said Harrison, who was elected to an at-large council seat.

Councilman Alex Bethea thanked the public for re-electing him to another four years and said he was glad to have this opportunity because when he grew up in the Jim Crow South, there was little opportunity for African-Americans.

Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson said she is looking forward to raising the city up by focusing on education and job training programs, highlighting the opportunities presented by tourism and the arts, cracking down on absentee slumlords and taking advantage of economic development, while working to put more cops on the street.

Muschal said he was glad to have a mayor in office that will work with him to ensure the government is working for the good of the people.

“Hopefully, hopefully we are going to move this city forward,” said Muschal, who was appointed acting mayor after Mack was removed from office.

"I look forward to blazing a new path" for the city of Trenton," Verlina Reynolds-Jackson said after being sworn in as East Ward councilwoman.

After the ceremony, Jackson said in his first few months in office he is looking to address crime and bring employment opportunity, especially for teens and young adults.

“To work on the violent crime in the city to make sure that the plan we talked about in concert with the police department leadership will be on top of bringing down violent crime,” Jackson said.

Shortly after he was sworn in, Jackson announced he would not bring on Police Director Ralph Rivera as part of his transition team, selecting former city police officer Ernest Parrey Jr. for the position. He replaced three other high-level officers with his own picks.

“Second is to bring some employment, particularly for our youth and for our young adults, into the city and make sure that they have gainful employment and have gainful recreation to do for during the course of the summer,” Jackson said.